The present invention relates to personal computers and more particularly to a system running on a handheld computer, such as a Handheld PC or a Palm-size PC, for deleting unneeded data.
Usually, a user will use a primary client device, such as a desktop personal computer, to access his e-mails held on a server. Sometimes, the user will use a secondary client device, such as a handheld computer that is mobile, to access his e-mails. Typically, the user stores his e-mails within folders of a hierarchy of folders. While connected to the server, a Handheld PC user can download e-mails by selecting the folders into which the user wishes to download e-mails. During this process, a large number of e-mails may be downloaded by the user as the user selects all or some of the folders in the hierarchy contained on the server.
Typically, all of the e-mails, that are downloaded, are retained on the client device, either the primary or the secondary, even after disconnecting from the server. Retaining all of the downloaded e-mails after disconnection from the server uses up valuable storage space. This is particularly a problem when the e-mails are downloaded to a handheld computer because memory and secondary storage space is limited in handheld computers.
In one aspect of the present invention, a method of selectively deleting messages linked to folders in a flat database on a client device is provided. The folders are arranged in an emulated hierarchy and have a service root associated with a specific server or e-mail service. The method includes marking folders containing messages to be retained with a first flag; determining if a folder is in the hierarchy belonging to the service root; and deleting a message linked to a folder in the hierarchy belonging to the service root and not marked with the first flag.
In another aspect of the present invention, a computer program storage medium readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for selectively deleting messages linked to folders in a flat database on a handheld computer is disclosed. The folders are arranged in an emulated hierarchy and have a service root associated with a server. The computer process includes indicating folders that contain messages to be retained for use after disconnection from the server with an off-line flag by the handheld computer; determining of a folder is in the hierarchy belonging to the service root; and deleting a message linked to a folder in the hierarchy belonging to the service root and not marked with the off-line flag.
In another aspect of the present invention, a computer data signal embodied in a carrier were readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for selectively deleting messages linked to folders in a flat database on a client device is disclosed. The folders are arranged in an emulated hierarchy and have a service root associated with a server. The computer process is analogous to that described above.
Another aspect of the present invention includes an apparatus for selectively deleting messages linked to folders in a flat database on a client device. The folders are arranged in an emulated hierarchy and have a service root associated with a specific server or e-mail service. The apparatus includes an off-line module, a decision module, and an erase module. The off-line module marks folders containing messages to be retained with an off-line flag. The decision module determines if a folder is in the hierarchy belonging to the service root. The erase module deletes a message linked to a folder in the hierarchy belonging to the service root and not marked with the first flag.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and its scope may be obtained from the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below, from the following detailed descriptions of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and from the appended claims.